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REPORT 

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Presented  by 

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THE  FINDINGS 

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COMMITTEE 

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PASTORS’ 

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CONFERENCE 

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OF  CONNECTICUT 

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HARTFORD 

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Feb.  23-24-25,  1920 

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INTERCHURCH  WORLD 

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MOVEMENT 

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OF  NORTH  AMERICA 

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226  Pearl  Street 

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Hartford,  Connecticut 

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REPORT  OF  THE  COMMITTEE  ON  FINDINGS 


A conference  of  Connecticut  ministers,  having  spent 
three  days  in  considering  present  social  and  religious 
conditions  and  the  local  and  world-wide  responsi- 
bilities which  the  Church  today  faces,  heartly  en- 
dorses the  Inter-Church  Movement  for  a united  and 
adequate  program  by  which  the  Church  may  more 
nearly  meet  the  present  crisis  and  opportunity. 

1.  We  approve  the  plan  of  the  Inter-Church  World 
Movement  in  presenting  a survey  of  the  facts 
pertaining  to  the  evangelistic  program  of  the 
Protestant  Churches  at  home  and  abroad. 

2.  We  find  that  the  survey  is  being  conducted  on  a 
comprehensive  and  thorough  basis  and  that,  when 
completed,  it  will  present  to  the  Protestant 
Churches  their  unparalleled  opportunity  and 
obligation  to  win  the  world  for  Christ. 

3.  This  Survey  clearly  reveals  that  the  Protestant 
Churches  have  fallen  far  short  of  meeting  the 
spiritual  needs  of  the  world,  through  failure  to 
comprehend  the  situation,  to  measure  up  to  the 
responsibilities  of  stewardship,  and  through  the 
neglect  of  Christian  forces  to  enter  into  full 
co-operation. 

4.  Therefore,  we  recommend  that  the  facts  of  the 
Survey  as  presented  be  a challenge  to  the 
Christian  forces  of  America  to  enter  into  a great 
co-operative  campaign  for  the  purpose  of  carrying 
out  the  program  revealed  by  this  Survey  as 
necessary  for  the  evangelization  of  the  world. 

5.  We  are  convinced  that  the  plan  of  a simultaneous 
campaign  for  raising  our  budgets  is  pre-eminently 
wise.  To  interest  the  whole  Protestant  world  at 
once  means  the  intensification  of  the  interest  for 
every  denomination.  We  all  face  both  demands 
of  a period  of  reconstruction  and  high  costs  which 
double  the  expense  of  maintaining  work  which  the 
Churches  are  now  doing.  We  also  regard  the 
Standard  Financial  Plan  for  the  Inter-Church 
Campaign  as  an  excellent  working  model  and 
commend  it  to  the  churches  of  the  State  for  their 
consideration  and  use  in  the  light  of  local  con- 
ditions. We  look  forward  with  hopefulness  to 
the  successful  issue  of  the  great  campaign. 


6.  We  beartOy  commend  the  wise  and  inclusive 
program  of  activities  so  carefully  worked  out  and 
so  ably  presented  at  the  Conference,  and  we  urge 
that  so  far  as  is  practicable,  it  be  made  the  word- 
ing program  for  the  immediate  future  of  the  local 
churches. 

“The  Movement  was  born  of  prayer”  and  will 
succeed  as  it  constantly  stresses  the-  spiritual. 
The  plans  for  quickening  the  spirit  of  inter- 
cession and  for  widespread  personal  evangelism 
have  our  cordial  endorsement,  as  having  promise 
in  them  of  our  greatly  desired  ingathering  for  the 
Kingdom. 

7.  Nothing  is  more  vital  to  the  whole  movement  than 
securing  and  training  the  young  men  and  women 
who  are  to  actualize  the  program.  To  fail  to  get 
them  by  thousands  will  make  the  millions  of 
money  harmful  rather  than  helpful  to  the  King- 
dom. We  suggest  to  those  in  charge  the  need 
of  most  careful  attention  to  this  task,  and  would 
urge  upon  ourselves  and  all  ministers  the  im- 
perative duty  of  recruiting  an  adequate  number 
of  our  finest  young  people  for  this  supreme 
mission  to  the  world. 

The  need  of  stewadship  as  made  apparent  by  the 
Survey  is  a challenge  which  the  churches  must 
meet.  As  good  ministers  of  Jesus  Christ,  we 
must  educate  our  people  in  the  principles  which 
must  govern  the  giving  as  well  as  the  getting 
of  money.  To  fail  in  this  matter  is  to  prevent 
the  realization  of  our  present  hopes. 


In  the  industrial  confusion  and  unrest,  we  welcome 
the  fair,  sane  and  sympathetic  presentation  of  the 
issues  by  the  Industrial  Relations  Commission  of  the 
Movement.  We  recognize  the  duty  of  the  Church 
to  serve  as  fearless  investigator  of  economic  con- 
ditions and  to  apply  to  them  the  principles  of  the 
Gospel. 


RESOLVED : 

We  voice  our  gratitude  to  the  Churches  and  citizens 
of  Hartford  for  the  hospitality  extended  to  members 
of  the  conference.  These  days  of  fellowship  between 
members  of  the  different  Churches  of  our  State  have 
drawn  us  closer  in  the  bonds  of  common  loyalty  to 
our  Master  and  for  united  service  in  His  name. 


COMMITTEE  ON  FINDINGS 


Rev.  Harry  R.  Miles,  D.D  , Chairman,  (Con- 
grfg^ational) , New  Haven. 

Rev.  Wm  Douglas  Mackenzie,  D.D.,  (Congre- 
gational), Hartford. 

Rev.  Rockwell  Harmon  Potter,  D.D.,  (Con- 
gregational), Hartford. 

Rev.  J.  Newton  Lackey,  DD,  (Baptist), 
Hartford. 

Rev.  Victor  Mills,  D.D.,  (M.  E.)  Meriden. 

Rev.  A F.  Purkiss,  D.D.,  (Baptist),  Norwich. 

Rev.  Samuel  Fiske,  (Congregational),  Berlin.  . 

Rev.  Theodore  B.  Lathrop,  (Congregational), 
Branford. 

Rev.  Samuel  Clifton,  (Congregational),  Win- 
sted. 

Rev.  Wm.  D.  Beach,  D D.,  (M.  E.),  Middle- 
town. 

Rev.  A.  D.  Carpenter,  (Baptist),  Willimantic. 

Rev.  Alexander  Alison,  Jr.,  D.D.,  (Presby- 
terian), Bridgeport. 

Rev.  John  F.  Johnson,  D.D.,  (Presbyterian), 
Hartford. 

Rev.  R.  R.  Ball,  D.D.,  (A.  M.  E.  Zion), 
Hartford. 

Rev.  C.  L.  Fisher,  D.D.,  (Colored  Baptist), 
Hartford. 


